March 01, 2013

This is a sample partial entry from my current app London Travel: a Guide to Great Day Trips. The complete app for the iPad and iPhone may be downloaded at Apple's iTunes app store. This app takes you to many unusual places with daytrip range of London, along with the popular favorites. It is also available for ANDROID devices under the name London's Backyard.

Enigma: Something That is Not Easily Explained or Understood

Many of the deepest secrets of World War II are revealed at this rather nondescript estate north of London, where British and American cryptographers decoded the most sensitive Nazi and Japanese communications and played a critical role in the ultimate Allied victories.

Military history buffs will love this place, as will anyone fascinated by computers. Not only was Bletchley Park a top-secret intelligence center, but it was also home to the world's first digital computer, which has recently been replicated.

This is also the best place to learn about the fabled ENIGMA machine and its big brother, the LORENZ — Hitler's secret weapons that could have won him mastery over Europe had not the specialists at Bletchley done their jobs so well.

Bletchley is part of the modern "New Town" of Milton Keynes, created in 1967 at a point midway between London, Birmingham, Cambridge, and Oxford. Unlike other destinations on this app, it is not configured as a suggested tour since everything is in one place.

Trains depart London's Euston Station (EUS) frequently for the 40-minute ride to Bletchley (BLY), with returns until late evening. Avoid the slower ones requiring a change at Milton Keynes. Bletchley Station is very close to the estate.

By Car, take the A5 north to the A4146 exit marked Bletchley/Fenny Stratford. At the next big roundabout make a left onto a dual highway. When you pass under a railway bridge, follow signs to the Railway Station, making a right onto Sherwood Drive. Bletchley Park is on the left shortly. It is about 60 miles (97 km) northwest of London. Onsite parking is £3.

Touch photo in upper left. It will then fill the screen and morph into aDIAGRAM MAP. Touch that to remain on screen,THENslide a finger from right to left to see more photos. Touch in upper left to return to text.

The National Museum of Computing, also on the same grounds and same admission ticket, is open only on Thursdays, Saturdays, and bank holidays, from 1-4; and also on guided tours on Tuesday and Sunday afternoons. Some parts are open daily.

Visitors should wear sensible clothes and footwear as some outdoor walking is involved. There are no restrictions on photography or videoing.

A full range of meals, snacks, and drinks are served at The Café in Hut 4, a restored WWII codebreaking location. There are also a few pubs nearby on Buckingham Road.

TOUR:

Begin at the Block-B Exhibition Centre, housed in an original wartime building. This is where you can get a good introduction to the process of communications interception, decryption, translation, interpretation, and analysis — the very heart of intelligence gathering that was so vital to winning the war.

Surely, the most famous item here is the Nazi Enigma machine, an electro-mechanical device that uses a series of rotating wheels to scramble plaintext messages into incoherent ciphertext. There were billions and billions of possible combinations, so the system was considered to be absolutely secure to all except another Enigma machine with exactly the same settings.

There was a weak point point, however. Any letter of the alphabet could represent any other letter, EXCEPT itself. That clue, and work done by Polish mathematicians before the war, enabled the Bletchley codebreakers to crack the Enigma code early on, giving the Allies a big advantage that probably shortened the war by two years and saved countless lives.

Much of the Enigma codecracking was done on the Bombe machine, developed here by mathematicians Alan Turing (considered to be the "father" of digital computing) and Gordon Welchman. Some 200 of these were built, and all destroyed after the war for security reasons. One has recently been rebuilt at Bletchley.

There are displays of similar machines dating from the 1920s to the 1970s, from Britain, U.S.A., Russia, Sweden, and Switzerland.

To see the rest of the trip, with photos and maps, take a download of the entire London Travel app into your iPad or iPhone on Apple's iTunes app store. Here's all the places it takes you to:

Visiting London? Check out my new app for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch: London Travel: a Guide to Great Day Trips. It's full of current, up-to-date information, special maps, day trips, walking tours, offbeat destinations, and much, much more.

August 28, 2010

Not long ago, in 2008, the Borough of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, opened a new park. Now, Lansdale was already awash in parks, but this one is special in that it has a magnificent nature trail meandering through dense woodland. Stony Creek Park, as it is called, is a real treat in such a highly urbanized area. It is, in my opinion, the nearest thing to Heaven that you'll find in Lansdale.

Click on map to enlarge. Numbers on the map correspond to numbers in the text.

The Nature Trail:A good appreciation of this amenity begins with a stroll of about a mile, level all the way. Starting at the parking lot (1) it follows a paved trail parallel to Hancock Street past a large pond (2) with a fountain and a statue (below) of three children fishing. The pond’s perimeter features native vegetation, various little wildlife, and geese.

As the trail curves to the right, leave it and follow the sidewalk on Hancock Street to the Nature Trail entrance (3). If it’s a hot day you’ll immediately notice welcome relief under a golden canopy of moist leaves. I’ve walked here even in 95º weather and remained comfortable. The dense foliage, at times radiating in arboreal splendor, is especially nice on a sunny day during the Fall Foliage season.

A perfect musical accompaniment to this walk, if you happen to be carrying an audio device, is Forest Murmurs from Wagner's opera Siegfried. Another good choice would be Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.

You’ll soon pass over an elevated wooden walkway protecting your feet from a short patch of soggy ground, then a wooden bench beside the crushed-stone trail. Turn left at the intersection (4), where there is another bench, and continue over another elevated walkway. The trail meanders around quite a bit through the Woodland area, then turns right to a second intersection (5).

Whoever designed this trail clearly understood the visual impact of the S-curve, a basic concept in both painting and photography. This place is full of them.

A left turn here leads out of the woods and onto a gravel road with an overhead power line. Just across this, mostly buried in the overgrowth, is an abandoned rail line (6) (photo, right) that was once a freight spur to long-since-vanished factories. To the right, just beyond the end of the gravel road, a nearly hidden path leads back into the woods. There are small clearings there where, I imagine, kids can go to hide and play. I know that we would have, way back when we were all of eight years old. This is exactly the kind of place where we built our “forts.”

While again exploring that hidden path today (Sept. 7, 2010) I noticed a large lean-to in the clearing, recently made of fallen branches. Some adventurous kids must have been building their "fort," just as we did 70 years ago! Hooray for them!

The active rail line just ahead now carries freight only, but prior to 1951 was the route of the Liberty Bell Limited, an interurban trolley car that ran from Allentown to Philadelphia.

Return to the intersection (5) and turn left. After curving around quite a bit among mature trees and dense forest, the trail enters its Wetlands stage. At this point it becomes an elevated wooden walkway (photo, above) for quite a distance, wandering around above tiny rivulets that come to life after a heavy rain.

Back on dry land, you’ll notice several small clearings between the tall, old trees. This scene just cries out for a gingerbread house, complete with Hänsel und Gretel and the Wicked Witch of Grimm’s fairy tale and Humperdinck’s opera.

After the second sharp bend to the right following the wooden walkway a well-defined path leads off to the left and deep into the woods. The earth here is quite eroded from heavy rains, with a great many tree roots exposed. Again, this is a great place for kids to hide.

Turn left at the next intersection (7) and enter the treeless Meadows section of the trail. Here you can walk in the sun, soaking up Vitamin D to strengthen your bones. There’s both a bench and an explanatory sign along the way, but keep an eye out for bees!

Here the Nature Trail ends as you step into the park proper.

Park Facilities:

An overview of the entire park can be enjoyed from the top of a small rise (8), reached by a curving path to the right. After the exhausting 14-foot climb to the top you’ll be happy to see a bench, and for the curious a binocular gadget mounted on a pole.

Click on panoramic photo to make it really, really big

Below this is an enclosed playground (9) for very young kids, with all sorts of safe activities in a naturalistic environment sure to engage children’s vivid imaginations.

The Pavilion (10) (photo, above) is a nice, shady place for an alfresco lunch, with both sheltered and open picnic benches provided along with two grills. It may be reserved for private affairs by contacting the Parks Department (link below), but most of the time is open to the general public. There is a convenient drinking fountain just outside the structure.

Finally, a most unusual and enlightening feature. The Labyrinth (11) reflects both the spiritual and philosophical aspects of medieval thought. The original design dates to around 400 BC and became widely used during the Middle Ages. Symbolically, it represents a single path to a deity in a clearly defined center reached from only one entrance, often thought of as birth. As well as spiritual salvation, that center goal can also be enlightenment. Meandering along the twists and turns causes a loss of direction and a sense of the outer world, thus quieting the mind. Or so they say.

Here’s a satellite view (above) of the Stony Creek Labyrinth. See if you can follow the route to the rock in its center. It’s tricky. And here's a view from inside the labyrinth (below).

Wildlife:

One day while walking along the Woodland section of the trail I saw a deer — a fawn, really — standing in the path watching me. As I resumed walking it scampered off into the woods. Encounters like this enhance the experience of being in a natural environment, yet so close to busy urban life. Other wildlife includes rabbits, squirrels, and of course mosquitoes. For the latter it is wise to use a spray deterrent before setting out. Lastly, I once got stung by a bee in the neck, back in the Meadows area next to the sign explaining how bees pollinate the plant life.

A Plea to the Powers-That-Be:

Please leave the Nature Trail as it is. Don’t make it pretty. Remove only the fallen trees that actually cross the trail. Let Mother Nature do Her own thing. And please replace the missing shrubs in the labyrinth. That is all. Thank you.

Practicalities:

Hancock Street is only two lanes wide and is extremely busy in both directions during rush hours. Exiting the park, those making a left turn may have a long wait for a break in traffic. It may be easier to make a right turn, then a left at Church Road.

Pending construction of proper restroom facilities there is a porta-potty outhouse in the parking lot.

Be sure to use bug spray if you’re walking on the Nature Trail during summer. Mosquitoes abound.

There are two free dispensers of plastic dog waste bags, one by the parking lot and the other at the Hancock Street trail entrance.

How the Park Came To Be:

Stony Creek Park is part of the proposed Liberty Bell Trail, a string of parks and trails following the route taken by America’s Liberty Bell in 1777 as it was spirited off to a safe hiding place in Allentown during the Revolutionary War. Only a few of these parks have opened as yet, but more are on the way. It also closely follows the route of the former Liberty Bell Limited, an interurban trolley car that connected Allentown with Philadelphia from around 1900 until 1951. As a child, I used to ride this back in the 1930s and '40s. Starting from a depot at 8th and Hamilton streets in Allentown, it crossed a long bridge over the Little Lehigh, then followed old route 309 (now 145) across South Mountain and down into Quakertown, Sellersville, Telford, Souderton, Hatfield, Lansdale (where it stopped across the street from the present SEPTA train station), West Point, East Norriton, Norristown, and down into Philadelphia.

A Living Blog:

My plan is to keep this blog alive with frequent updates and fresh observations as the seasons change and in all kinds of weather — always, of course, with new photos. The latest entries are at the bottom, just before Local Links.So keep coming back by noting this direct link:

These images are/will be copyrighted and available for use by others only with my permission. Non-commercial use will be free as long as attribution or a link to this blog is made; commercial use may require a fee. Nearly all of the photos are/will be available from me in high definition jpeg files suitable for reproduction.

Here's the lean-to I mentioned above.

Current Observations:

Thurs., Sept. 9, 2010, 10:15 am. This morning there were "working on the railroad" sounds coming from the freight line west of the park. I followed these around to the abandoned rail line (6) and turned right. Up there a CSX crew was busy servicing their line with a strange device mounted on a truck that ran on both rails and roads. Returning to the intersection (5) I was startled when what I swear was a coyote (or maybe a fox) darted out from the woods, crossed the trail, and dashed into the dense underbrush to the east.

Fri., Sept. 24, 2010, 1:15 pm. Today I revisited the rock in the center of the magical Labyrinth. To some this represents God, to others Wisdom. To most, however, it's just a rock.

Another thought came to me on the trail. Why not occasionally leave the "beaten path" and just go off into the woods to really commune with nature, maybe becoming more one with the Universe. I tried it, and it works.

Here's what the "Wetlands" part of the trail looked like on this, the day following the Autumnal Equinox:

Here'a a bend in the trail near position 5 on the map, in Autumn:

Click on it to enlarge.

Friday, Oct. 1, 2010, 10:30 a.m. Rain, glorious rain. After months of semi-drought came the downpour. From early yesterday morning until noon today something like 6 to 8 inches fell. Naturally, I had to rush out to see what the "Wetlands" part of the trail looked like. Along the way I had to climb over a fallen branch and wade through a shallow-but-wide puddle at the same spot where two days earlier I had seen a deer crossing the trail. Below is a little bit of it, looking down from the elevated walkway:

Finally, the "Wetlands" is wet! And by the next morning the fallen branches and puddles were gone. Good work, guys!

Tues., Oct 5, 2010, 10:00 a.m. The rain continues, with the "Meadow" area impassable without walking through wide-but-shallow puddles. So I got my feet wet. The elevated walkway through the "Wetlands" area carries walkers above roaring streams of water, a welcome change after a summer of baked, cracked earth. The "Woodlands" is, well, just dripping wet but easy to negotiate. I saw a fawn, leaping like a gazelle across the trail and gracefully bounding off into the woods. Others have seen as many a three young or female deer at a time, but never a buck. Wonder where he hides?

Thursday, Oct 14, 2010, 3:00 p.m. More and more rain. This time I wandered through with my camera, determined to make it look as wet as it actually was. The photo above is of the "Wetland" sign, the elevated trail, and a flowing rivulet. Yesterday I got a fleeting glimpse of a strange animal as it dashed across the trail. It was solid black, looking like a very large cat, but with a huge, bushy tail. Wonder what that was?

Below is a new picture of the pond, taken the other day:

Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010, 12:30 p.m.Vandalism! The first act of deliberate vandalism and unlawful behavior that I have ever witnessed at Stony Creek occurred today. Four or five guys in their late teens or early 20s jumped out of a Nissan car with New York plates beginning with the letters FEZ, knocked over the PortaPotty in the parking lot, and ran down the Meadows path, shoving people out of the way while screaming loudly in Spanish. They entered the woods making extremely loud noises and frightening walkers. Fearing a dangerous encounter, I left. If this is allowed to continue there will be no point in having this park.

Thurs., Oct. 28, 2010, 2 pm. Fall has finally done its thing, and all the leaves are down. The trail has a certain beauty in this starkness, as I hope I captured in the photo above. This shows the elevated portion in the "Wetlands" portion. Today the park crew was busy removing the fountain in the pond before the pipes freeze. They are also planning to drop the water level in the pond so that when winter comes it will be safe for skaters.

Sun., Nov. 21, 2010, 10 a.m.

All the leaves are down...and the skies are grey...and the woods are small...but they're still okay,

It's amazing how much smaller the park seems without leaves. Now you can clearly see houses, businesses, and even a hotel through the barren branches. Soon it will snow.

Wed., Dec. 8, 2010, 10 a.m.

Bitter cold, much rain, and heavy winds have made the trail impassable. Much of the "Meadows" area was thin ice with about an inch of water under it. Winds have apparently swept water from the pond into the "Woodland" and "Wetland" areas, eroding the trail and leaving a frozen mess. There was also a large fallen tree trunk laying across the trail. I quickly gave up and went home to dry out my feet. The entire trail area is as dreary as dreary can possibly be dreary. But soon it will snow, bringing new visual pleasure.

Saturday, January 1, 2011. It snowed last Sunday and Monday, and even though the temperature is in the high 40s right now, this much is still left.

Expanding This Blog:

Until now, Life's Little Adventures has focused on rather distant places and exotic happenings, covering periods of time from the mid-1930s until the near past. Now I plan to add more local material, some historical and some contemporary, with an emphasis on Eastern Pennsylvania, especially on Montgomery and Bucks counties. Stay tuned.

April 08, 2010

From the new 2011 edition of my travel guide Daytrips From London, here's an easy one to the ancient port town of Bristol:

Trip 33

Bristol

A Daytrip From London

Bristol is a delightful city to visit, especially in summer. Few places combine the serious with the lighthearted quite so well. Where else can you see the sights from a vintage steam train or a tiny ferryboat? Or for that matter, explore the innards of an early-19th-century transatlantic steamship? Not many English cities boast as many sidewalk cafés or outstanding restaurants. Culture is not overlooked, either. Bristol has its fair share of medieval buildings, superb museums, churches, two cathedrals, several arts centers, and a world-renowned theater.

A thriving port since Saxon times, Bristol's prosperity was founded on wool, wine, tobacco, and the slave trade. Its enterprising seamen sailed to the far corners of the known world, and in 1497 one of them, John Cabot, first braved the North Atlantic to discover Newfoundland. Its commerce with the New World expanded as did the size of its ships. Eventually the harbor became inadequate and a new one was built at nearby Avonmouth. Heavy bombing during World War II led to extensive reconstruction. Today, the old downtown harbor is used mostly for pleasure, an amenity that makes Bristol an attractive place to visit.

GETTING THERE:

Trains leave London's Paddington Station at least hourly for Bristol's Temple Meads Station, a journey of about 1½ hours. Return trains run until mid-evening. Be certain that the train you board is not just going to Bristol Parkway, which is out in the suburbs. Service is somewhat reduced on Sundays and holidays. Schedules at W: railtrack.co.uk.

By Car, Bristol is 121 miles west of London. Take the M4 to Junction 19, then the M32 into the center of Bristol.

PRACTICALITIES:

Bristol can be visited at any time in good weather. There is more activity, and more fun, on summer weekends. The local Visitor Information Centre, T: (0333) 321-0101 (toll call), W: visitbristol.co.uk, is in E Shed on Canon’s Road at Harbourside, a block east of Bristol Cathedral. Bristol has a population of about 408,000.

FOOD AND DRINK:

Out of a vast selection, some especially good places for lunch are:

Riverstation (The Grove, just south of Queen Square) Right on the river, an upstairs/downstairs place with lower prices below. T: (0117) 914-4434, W: riverstation.co.uk. ££ and £££

The Glass Boat (Welsh Back, just east of Queen Square) Lunch, tea, or dinner aboard a floating barge in the Floating Harbour) T: (0117) 0704, W: glassboat.co.uk. £ and ££

Brown's Restaurant (38 Queen's Road, near the City Museum) Large, fashionable, and very popular, this restaurant and bar features burgers, pasta, and all sorts of contemporary dishes. T: (0117) 930-4777, W: brownsrestaurants.co.uk. £ and ££

Arnolfini Café (Narrow Quay, at the south end of the quay) Casual meals in an arts center. T: (0117) 917-2335, W: arnolfini.org.uk. £

Leaving Temple Meads Station (1), cross Temple Gate and follow Redcliffe Way to *St. Mary Redcliffe (2), the massive parish church that Queen Elizabeth I called “the fairest and goodliest” in all the land. Rebuilt in the 14th century, parts of it date from the 12th. If you have time for only one church during your visit, it should be this one. Americans will be interested in the prominent tomb of Admiral Sir William Penn (1621–70), whose son William founded Pennsylvania in 1682. Outside, in the churchyard, look for the gravestone of Tom, the church cat who kept the mice at bay from 1912 to 1927, and was given a grand funeral as a reward. T: (0117) 929-1487, W: stmaryredcliffe.co.uk. Open Mon.-Fri., 8:30-5. Free, donation appreciated. Snack bar. Gift shop.

Continue across Redcliffe Bridge to Queen Square and turn right to King Street. One of the most colorful thoroughfares in town, this cobbled street is lined with old taverns as well as the Theatre Royal, home of the famous Bristol Old Vic repertory company.

From here you can either walk to the next destination, or take one of the small open ferries that operate daily from April through September. T: (0117) 927-3416, W: bristolferryboat.co.uk. Fares in harbour: Adult £1.60, seniors & children £1.30, and up.

However you get there, the Museum of Bristol (4) is worth a stop. Its displays cover the full range of Bristol's industries, past and present, including carriages, sports cars, trucks, a steam crane, and a full-scale mock-up of the locally built Concorde. Closed for renovation, should reopen in 2011.

Continue on by ferry, on foot, or — when it's running — an ancient steam train, to the:

Launched in 1843, the S.S. Great Britain was the first large steamer to be made of iron and the first to be driven by a screw propeller. Used for a while on the transatlantic run to New York, she proved unprofitable and was later put on the Australian service. Finally reduced to hauling coal to San Francisco, she was abandoned in the Falkland Islands after suffering damage during a hurricane in 1886. There she remained until 1937, when the hull was sunk off Port Stanley. In 1970 the S.S. Great Britain was refloated and towed all the way back to the very same dry dock in Bristol in which she was built.

This indomitable ship, along with other sights in Bristol such as Temple Meads Station and the Clifton Suspension Bridge, were all the work of the great 19th-century engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who also built the Great Western Railway. You traveled over this line if you came from London by train. Visitors may climb all over the ship, now restored to its original 1843 appearance (interior photo, below).

Adjacent to the S.S. Great Britain is the Matthew, a replica of the 15th-century sailing ship used by John Cabot to discover Newfoundland in 1497, an historic journey that was re-enacted five centuries later in 1997. Harbour cruises are offered at times, T: (0117) 927-6868, W: matthew.co.uk. Adults £9, seniors and children £7.

While visiting these two famous ships, make a stop at the adjacent Great Western Dockyard, where the story of shipbuilding in Bristol is told. Meals and refreshments are available on the site.

From here you can take the ferry back to the town center and then board a bus to Clifton, or you can just walk there. The route shown on the map takes you past the locks of the Floating Harbour, a section of the River Avon in which boats are kept afloat during low tide. From there it is uphill, going by some elegant Georgian houses near the top.

The *Clifton Suspension Bridge (6), another creation of Brunel's, is among the most outstanding in Britain. Poised 245 feet above the Avon Gorge, it offers spectacular views to pedestrians who cross it. Return and climb the mound to the left for another superb vista, possibly stopping at the Clifton Observatory. Don’t miss the nearby Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre in Sion Place. Here you’ll discover just how this fantastic bridge was built and maintained. W: Clifton-suspension-bridge.org.uk. Free tours on Sudays at 3 from Easter to mid-Sept. 11-5. Gift shop.

There is bus service back to town from the corner of Suspension Bridge Road and Clifton Down Road. You may be interested, however, in strolling over a few blocks to see the very contemporary Clifton Cathedral (7) on Pembroke Road. Consecrated in 1973, this Roman Catholic cathedral is a striking piece of modern architecture designed to meet the new forms of worship.

By bus or on foot, the next destination is the City Museum and Art Gallery (8) on Queen's Road. The collections include items of local archaeology, history, ceramics, and glass, as well as the fine and applied arts. With its unusual mixture of displays, this is really a fun place to visit. T: (0117) 922-3571, W: Bristol-city.gov.uk. Open daily 10-5. Free. Café. Gift shop.

Just a short distance away is the Cabot Tower (9) on Brandon Hill, built in 1897 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of John Cabot's voyage to the New World. There are good views of the city and harbor from its 100-foot-high top. Presently closed for structural repairs.

Great George Street is a pleasant way to return to the town center. Along it is the Georgian House (10), an 18th-century merchant's home that's been lovingly restored to its original elegance by the City Museum. T: (0117) 921-1362. Open April-Oct., Sat.-Wed. 10-5. Closed Thurs. and Fri. Free.

Park Street leads to College Green and the Bristol Cathedral (11). A mixture of many styles including Norman, Early English, Gothic, and Victorian, its construction spanned a period of over 700 years. The most interesting parts are the choir, which has wonderful misericords, the eastern Lady Chapel, and the Norman Chapter House, dating from 1160. W: bristol-cathedral.co.uk. Open Mon.-Sat. 8-6, Sun. 7:20-5. Suggested donation £. Café. Gift shop.

Continue up Baldwin Street and Corn Street to the intersection with Broad, Wine, and High streets. This was the old medieval heart (12) of the city. In front of the Corn Exchange of 1743 are four short pillars of bronze known as “nails,” on which merchants completed their cash transactions. From these came the expression “paying on the nail.” Make a right on High Street, cross Bristol Bridge, and follow Victoria Street back to Temple Meads Station.

February 24, 2010

Long before there was a Hollywood there was a thriving movie business in and around, of all places, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of the largest film studios in the world operated there between 1910 and 1916. Originally located in the city proper, Lubin Studios later expanded to a 350-acre spread at Betzwood next to the Schuykill River and adjacent to what is now Valley Forge National Park, just a few miles down the road from my home. Despite its size and immense output of over 100 films, this has long since fallen into the dustbin of history. So imagine my surprise when I recently heard of this heritage on a local TV talk show as I was waiting for another program to begin. Click on photo to enlarge.

One man, Joseph Eckhardt, a retired professor of history at Montgomery County Community College, changed all that. His book, King of the Movies, traces the history of one Siegmund Lubin (1851-1923), a colorful character if ever there was one. At once a pirate, a prophet, a con-man, a philanthropist, and a successful capitalist, Lubin was one of the very first movie pioneers. His story makes for some engrossing reading.

A MYSTERY SOLVED:

Joe’s book also solves another perplexing mystery that has haunted the Valley Forge National Park’s administrators for decades. We were all taught that no battle was ever fought there; that it was just a winter encampment for George Washington’s army during the Revolutionary War. But how to explain the authentic Civil War artifacts that have occasionally turned up on the property? Bullets, pieces of guns, uniform belt buckles? Was a Civil War battle ever fought here? Not according to the record. Well, it seems that Lubin made several Civil War films at this location, and had purchased surplus gear from the 1860s — which was readily available and cheap at the time — to use as props in his productions of the 1910s. And didn’t clean up the “battlefield” afterwards.

THE KILLER FILM:

A serious problem facing those restoring Lubin’s movies, or any others from that era, is the explosive nature of nitrate film. Yes, this stuff can ignite itself as it deteriorates from age, burns furiously, and can actually explode under the right conditions! Later replaced with “safety film” (which cannot burn), nitrate film had to be handled with due care, and required fireproof projection booths to protect audiences. As the film decomposed from age it also lost much of the image detail, making modern restorations difficult and sometimes impossible. A 1914 nitrate-film fire at Lubin’s Philadelphia studio destroyed the original negatives for several unreleased movies, nearly bankrupting the company.

January 30, 2010

This little adventure is taken from my new guidebook Daytrips From London,available now.

Trip 17

Winchester

Winchester wears its history gracefully. The first “capital” of England, it was an important town from Roman times until the 12th century, when it lost out to rival London. Despite this decline, it remained a major religious and educational center, a role it still plays today. There are few places in England where the past has survived to delight the present quite so well.

Winchester's history goes back to the Iron Age, when the Belgae, a Celtic tribe, settled in the valley of the River Itchen. This became the Roman town of Venta Belgarum, the fifth-largest in Britain. Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, the Anglo-Saxons took over and, changing the name to Wintanceaster, made it the capital of their kingdom of Wessex. Threats from marauding Danes caused the rival kingdoms of England to unite behind Egbert, the king of Wessex, in the mid-9th century; an act that made Winchester the effective capital of all England. A few decades later, under Alfred the Great, the town reached its peak of importance, and afterwards became the seat of such kings as Canute, Edward the Confessor, and William the Conqueror. Winchester's time had passed, however, and during the Norman era the center of power was gradually transferred to London.

GETTING THERE:

Trains leave London's Waterloo Station at least twice an hour for the one-hour ride to Winchester, with returns until late evening. Schedules at W: nationalrail.co.uk.

By Car, Winchester is 72 miles southwest of London via the M3 highway.

PRACTICALITIES:

This trip can be made at any time, although some sights are closed on Mondays, especially in the off-season. Open-air markets are held in the town center on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The local Tourist Information Centre, T:(01962) 840-500, W: visitwinchester.co.uk, is in the Guildhall on The Broadway. Winchester is the county seat of Hampshire, and has a population of about 33,000.

FOOD AND DRINK:

Winchester has a wide selection of restaurants and pubs in all price ranges, including:

Royal Oak (Royal Oak Passage, just off High St.) Lunch in an ancient pub with plenty of atmosphere. T: (01962) 842-701. £

Cathedral Refectory (Inner Close, by the Cathedral) Light lunches made from fresh, local ingredients, as well as teas. T: (01962) 857-268, W: winchester-cathedral.org.uk. £

SUGGESTED TOUR:

Numbers in parentheses correspond to numbers on the map.

From the train station (1), follow Sussex Street to the Westgate (2), one of Winchester's two remaining medieval gatehouses. Built in the 12th century, its upper floors were added in 1380 and later served as a debtors' prison. It is now a small museum with an interesting collection of ancient armor and related objects. There's an excellent view from its roof. T: (01962) 869-864. Open April-Oct., Mon.-Sat. 10-5, Sun. noon-5; winter, Mon.-Sat. 10-4, Sun. noon-4. Closed holidays, Nov.Jan. Entrance free. Brass rubbings ₤.

Strolling down High Street, you will pass the Old Guildhall on the right. Its projecting clock and figure of Queen Anne were given to the town to commemorate the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. On the roof is a wooden tower housing the curfew bell, still rung each evening at eight. The 16th-century God Begot House, opposite, occupies the site of a manor given by Ethelred the Unready to his Queen Emma in 1012.

A few more steps brings you to the City Cross (3). Also known as the Butter Cross, it was erected in the 15th century. Make a right through the small passageway leading to The Square. William the Conqueror's palace once stood here. The City Museum (4) has fascinating displays of local archaeological finds, including Celtic pottery, a Roman mosaic floor, and painted walls. T: (01962) 863-064, W: winchester.gov.uk/heritage. Open same times as the Westgate, above. Free.

Winchester Cathedral, begun in 1079 on the site of earlier Saxon churches, is among the largest in Europe. During the 14th century the cathedral acquired a new Gothic nave, resulting in a mixture of styles ranging from robust Norman to graceful Perpendicular.

Enter the nave through the west doorway. The windows retain some of the original 14th-century glass, most of which was destroyed by Puritan zealots during the Civil War. About halfway down the nave, on the right, is the magnificent Wykeham's Chantry, dedicated to Bishop William of Wykeham, who was also the founder of Winchester College and New College at Oxford, as well as a noted statesman. Almost opposite this, on the north aisle, is an outstanding 12th-century font, carved with the story of St. Nicholas. The tomb of the authoress Jane Austen is nearby in the north aisle.

The massive transepts are almost unchanged since Norman times. Near the southeast corner is a chapel containing the tomb of Izaak Walton, author of The Compleat Angler, who died here in 1683. A doorway in the south wall leads to the Library, which has a 10th-century copy of the Venerable Bede's Ecclesiastical History as well as the rare 12th-century illuminated Winchester Bible. Library open at variable times.

Continue up the south aisle and enter the Presbytery. Above the screens are six mortuary chests containing the bones of early English kings. Behind the High Altar is a magnificently carved 15th-century ornamental screen. Adjoining this is the choir with some outstanding early-14th-century stalls and misericords. At the east end of the cathedral is the 12th-century Chapel of the Guardian Angels, and the modern Shrine of St. Swithun, the patron saint of British weather. If it rains on his day, July 15th, you're in for another 39 soggy days. Other sights include the crypt and the treasury.

Leave the cathedral and stroll through The Close, partially surrounded by the ancient monastery's walls. An arcade of the former Chapter House links the south transept with the Deanery. Dome Alley has some particularly fine 17th-century houses. Pass through the Kingsgate (6), the second of the two surviving medieval town gates. Above it is the tiny 13th-century Church of St. Swithun-upon-Kingsgate, which should definitely be visited.

Winchester College (7), the oldest “public” school in England, was founded in 1382 and is associated with New College at Oxford. T: (01962) 621-209, W: winchestercollege.org. Tours Mon., Wed., Fri., Sat. at 10:45, noon, 2:15, and 3:30; Tues. & Thurs. at 10:45 & noon; Sun. at 2:15 & 3:30. Adults £4, seniors and students £3.50.

Continue down College Street to the ruins of Wolvesey Castle (8), begun in 1129 and destroyed in 1646 by Cromwell's forces during the Civil War. They are enclosed by part of the old city wall, but you can enter and take a look around. W: english-heritage.org.uk. Open April-Oct., daily, 10-5. Free.

The adjacent Wolvesey Palace, thought to have been designed by Sir Christopher Wren, is now the bishop's residence.

From here there is a wonderfully picturesque riverside walk, said to be the inspiration for Keats' poem Ode to Autumn. It leads to the venerable Hospital of St. Cross, the oldest functioning almshouse in England. About a mile away, this medieval institution can also be reached by bus along St. Cross Road, but the delightful stroll along the stream is too lovely to miss. You can always ride back. To get there, just follow the map.

The *Hospital of St. Cross(photo, above)(9) has always had a tradition of providing a dole of bread and ale to weary wayfarers, which includes you. Ask and ye shall receive. Founded in 1136 by Bishop Henry de Blois, grandson of William the Conqueror, the institution cares for 25 brethren who live in 15th-century quarters and wear medieval gowns. There is a 12th-century Norman chapel and a 15th-century hall and kitchen that can be visited. Don’t miss this. T: (01962) 851-375, W: stcrosshospital.co.uk. Open Apr.-Oct., Mon.-Sat. 9:30-5, Sun. 1-5; Nov.-March, Mon.-Sat. 10:30-3:30. Adults £3, seniors and students £2.50, children £1.

Those returning on foot can take the alternative route via Garnier Road. St. Catherine's Hill, across the river, has an Iron Age fort and the foundations of an early chapel at its summit, as well as an excellent view.

Back in Winchester, the footpath leads across the River Itchen alongside the medieval walls to the City Mill (10), part of which is now a youth hostel. There's been a mill here since Anglo-Saxon days. The present one, built in 1744, may be explored. T: (01962) 870-057, W: nationaltrust.org.uk/main/winchestercitymill. Open mid-March to late Oct., Wed.-Sun. 10:30-5; late Oct.-mid-March, daily 10:30-5. Adults £4, children £2.

Turn left and follow The Broadway past the statue of King Alfred, who made Winchester a center of learning over a thousand years ago. The huge Victorian Guildhall of 1873 houses the tourist office. From here, High Street leads to The Castle, an administrative complex that includes the Great Hall (11), the sole remaining part of Winchester Castle. Dating from the early 13th century, the hall was the scene of many important events in English history. Go inside and take a look at the famous Roundtable, once associated with King Arthur but now known to be of 13th-century origin. T: (01962) 846-476, W: hants.gov.uk/greathall/. Open daily 10-5, closing at 4 on winter weekends. 50p.

There are five military museums in the immediate vicinity that might interest you: the Royal Green Jackets, the Light Infantry, the Gurkha, the Royal Hussars, and the Royal Hampshire Regiment. From here it is only a short stroll back to the train station.

December 16, 2009

I've just found the most marvelous picture book ever about my favorite place, New York City. 480 pages of oversize drawings, paintings, maps, posters, playbills, music sheets, photographs and assorted artifacts — all beautifully printed on heavy stock in a hardbound coffee table book — chronicle the entire history of the metropolis from its beginning in 1609 right up to the present in 2009. This is an absolute must for anyone who loves the city.

And it's a bargain!

Even at the list price of $40.00 it's more than worthwhile, but Amazon (bless them) has it for only $21.60 (and eligible for free shipping).

New York 400 was created from the vast archives of The Museum of the City of New York, whose mandate is to explore the past, present, and future of the Big Apple. You can read all about it, along with reviews, by clicking on its name in the box below.

December 11, 2009

This sample chapter is taken from the current (Seventh) edition of my travel guidebook Daytrips Germany, featuring 63 one-day self-guided do-it-yourself walking tours of the most fascinating places in the country. It is also in my smaller Daytrips Berlin and Northern Germany book. Enjoy!

Trip 55

Hamburg Walk #1

Proudly proclaiming itself as the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Germany's greatest port and second-largest metropolis — after Berlin — is a state in its own right. It possesses its own parliament and has never had much use for kings, emperors, or even archbishops. Merchants run the show here, as they have since the founding of the Hanseatic League in the 13th century. The goal of its citizens is to make money, a trait at which they were always quite adept.

Hamburg is perhaps best known for its notorious St. Pauli district and the famous Reeperbahn, an area filled with fleshpots and raunchy bars. Yet this is only a very small part of a very large picture and will be explored on Walk #2. It is also one of the Continent's most elegant cities, as well as a leader in culture and the arts. A visit to its bustling port facilities is always exciting. Virtually nothing of the city's ancient history has survived the great fire of 1842 and the wholesale devastation of the last war, but in its place a handsome new metropolis has risen — one whose many facets are at least partially explored on the suggested tours that follow:

GETTING THERE:

Trains from all over Germany and northern Europe arrive at Hamburg's three major stations: Hauptbahnhof (main station), Dammtor, and Altona. Most expresses stop at all three, but check the schedules to make sure. Built in 1906, the Hauptbahnhof has recently been modernized and is centrally located in an area of moderately-priced and inexpensive hotels. Dammtor Station, an Art Nouveau masterpiece of 1903, is close to some leading hotels and the convention center. Altona Station, in the western part of the city, opened in 1979 and is thoroughly modern. Frequent S-Bahn commuter trains connect all three.

By Car, Hamburg lies at the hub of major Autobahns coming from all directions. To find the city center, just follow the "Centrum" signs. Driving in town is not as difficult as in most other German cities.

By Air, flights from all over Europe and the world arrive at Fuhlsbüttel Airport, 10 km (6 miles) north of the city center. A special airport bus runs between the terminals and the downtown main train station (Hauptbahnhof) as well as Altona station at 20-minute intervals.

GETTING AROUND:

The route shown for Walk #1 involves about three miles of walking, which can be reduced by using the excellent public transportation system (HVV) part of the way. This consists of U-Bahn subways, S-Bahn subways that continue on as commuter trains, buses, and ferries. A map and instructions are available at the tourist information office in the main train station. One-day passes can be purchased at the HVV offices or from vending machines in the stations. The tourist office in the main station also sells the economical Hamburg Card, which covers all public transportation, gives free admission to many museums, and discounts on various top attractions. It is available for either adult individuals (with up to three children under 12) or groups, for either one or multiple days. The Hamburg Card is also available from most hotels and the ticket vending machines of the HVV.

PRACTICALITIES:

Hamburg is at its best from April through September, although even the winter season is much milder than you might expect. Most museums are closed on Mondays. The local Tourist Information Office, T: (040) 3005-1300, W: hamburg-tourism.de, is in the main train station, with a branch in the St.-Pauli Landungsbrücken passenger terminal. Hamburg has a population of about 1,700,000.

Walk #2 (page 297) begins where this one ends, so ambitious walkers who don’t linger too long at the sights can continue on and do both in one day.

FOOD AND DRINK:

Great restaurants abound in this internationally minded city, some of them very expensive. Among the best choices in all prices ranges near this first walking route are:

Le Plat du Jour (Dornbusch 4, 2 blocks southeast of the Rathaus) A good-value French bistro right in the heart of things. T: (040) 321-414. €€

SUGGESTED TOUR:

CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE.

Numbers in parentheses correspond to numbers on the map.

Begin your walk at the Jungfernstieg (1), easily reached on foot or by U- or S-Bahn subway. This elegant boulevard is bordered on the north by the Binnenalster, a large boat basin created centuries ago by damming up the Alster River. Delightful cruises through a complex network of waterways are available here, but this treat is better saved for the end of the day, at the end of the second walking tour (see page 300).

Built in the Renaissance style during the 1890s atop some 4,000 oak piles, City Hall’s 367-foot-high tower dominates the adjacent market place. Guided tours through the richly, if heavily, decorated interior are conducted frequently. While these don't visit all 647 rooms, they do take a full hour.

Now follow the map past the Börse (Stock Exchange) and along several ancient canals, including Hamburg's first harbor, the 700-year-old Nikolai Fleet. The ruined Nikolaikirche (Church of St. Nicholas)(3), originally dating from 1195 and rebuilt several times, was destroyed during World War II and is now preserved as a monument. Its steeple, at 482 feet, is the third-highest in Germany.

Cross the pedestrian bridge spanning busy Ost-West Strasse and wander down Deichstrasse, an intriguing street lined with old merchants' homes — many of which are now occupied by restaurants specializing in traditional Hamburg dishes. A stroll over Hohe Brücke and around Cremon (4) will take you past old warehouses and a former crane on the edge of the harbor.

Several of the massive 19th-century Speicherstadt warehouses across the canal to the south have been converted into fascinating museums and other tourist attractions, some of which are:

For everyone’s inner child, here is one of the very best model train layouts in the world. Hundreds of HO-scale trains race through settings in Hamburg, Scandinavia, the Alps, and even the Rocky Mountains of America.

Come on board for a nightmarish 90-minute ride through the terrors of the Great Fire of 1842, a mass execution of pirates in 1400, the devastating storm and flood of 1717, and — of course — the Black Death of 1350.

Follow signs to the world’s largest non-nuclear submarine, used by the Soviet Union to spy on the American coastline in the 1970s. This bit of Cold War history was purchased from Russia and is now a major tourist attraction, albeit not for the claustrophobic or handicapped.

Hamburg’s spice trade had a long and colorful history, and its story is all told here. There are also many spices for you to sniff, or even touch.

Now follow the map past several canals to the S-Bahn station at Stadthausbrücke (11), the end of this walk and the beginning of the next. From here it is only a short walk back to Jungfernstieg (1), or you could take the train. Some of the more hearty souls may want to press on to Walk #2.

October 07, 2009

Austria's foremost place of pilgrimage, the home of its national shrine, is so beautifully situated that a daytrip there from either Vienna or Graz is worthwhile for the scenic splendor alone. As a bonus, you can visit a magnificent basilica of great religious and historical significance, ride to the top of a mountain for panoramic views, and take a short hike or steam-tram ride to a lovely lake. The town itself is a year-round resort, with many pleasant diversions.

Located in a snug valley between mountains in the northernmost reaches of Styria, Mariazell began its long history as a venerated site on December 21, 1157. According to tradition, that's when five monks set up a lonely priory in the forest, erecting a statue of the Virgin that was soon thought to be performing miracles. A pilgrimage church was built in 1200, and in 1377 the king of Hungary attributed his victory over the Turks to the Virgin of Mariazell, beginning a tide of pilgrimage that has not ceased to this day. For many centuries, it was this cult that enhanced the union of Austria with the Hapsburg dynasty. Today's visitors are drawn not only for devotional reasons, but also for the sheer natural pleasures this small resort offers. Railfans coming by train from Vienna will find this to be a particularly enticing trip.

GETTING THERE:

Trains from Vienna leave the Westbahnhof (West Station) frequently for the 45-minute ride to St. Pölten, where you change to the old narrow-gauge Mariazellerbahn, built in 1905 and still one of the most scenic mountain rail lines in Austria. Trains on this line depart several times in the morning and early afternoon, taking about 2½ hours to reach Mariazell. Return service operates until late afternoon. Check schedules in advance as there may be changes.W: Oebb.at and W: mariazellerbahn.at. Trains from Vienna's Westbahnhof may be moved to the new Hauptbahnhof in 2011 or so.

Trains from Graz leave fairly often for Bruck an der Mur, where you change to a bus for Mariazell, a two-hour ride.

By Car from Vienna, leave on the A-1 Autobahn and head west to the St. Pölten Sud exit, then take the B-20 south into the mountains. Mariazell is 138 km (86 miles) southwest of Vienna.

By Car from Graz, take the A-9 Autobahn north, then the S-35 to Kapfenberg, followed by the B-20 north, a total distance of about 150 km (94 miles).

PRACTICALITIES:

Mariazell flourishes all year round, although a few minor sights are closed in winter. The historic steam tram operates on weekends and holidays, from July through September. The local Tourist Office, T: (03882) 2366, W: mariazell.at, is at Hauptplatz 13, to the left of the basilica. Mariazell is in the Land of Steiermark and has a population of about 2,000.

This trip could be combined in the same day with the one to St. Pölten (page 62).

FOOD AND DRINK:

Some especially good choices in Mariazell are:

Jägerwirt (Hauptplatz 2, directly across from the basilica) Traditional Austrian fare with an old-fashioned country atmosphere. T: (03882) 23-62. €€

For those coming by train from Vienna, the Mariazell Train Station (1) is a pleasant 15-minute walk along a path marked Bahnhofpromenade into the town proper. Follow Ludwig-Leber Strasse past the parking lot and bus station (for those arriving by bus or car), turning left on Grazer Strasse to the Hauptplatz, or main square. Rising in front of you is the great:

Mariazell’s great basilica grew out of a pilgrimage church of 1200. The present structure dates from the 14th century, but was greatly enlarged and altered during the late 17th century. Its appearance may seem rather strange, what with two squat, bulbous Baroque towers flanking the original Gothic spire and porch. Inside, however, it is a triumph of the Baroque style, resplendent in its elaborate plasterwork and paintings. The main focus of pilgrimage, the *Gnadenkapelle or Chapel of Miracles, is in the center of the nave. A silver baldachin designed in 1727 by J.E. Fischer von Erlach the Younger shelters the original 12th-century statue of the Virgin of Mariazell, or Magna Mater Austriae, the Austrian national shrine. The silver grille around it was donated in 1756 by Empress Maria Theresa.

Beyond this is the High Altar of 1704, a famous creation by Austria's master of the Baroque, J.B. Fischer von Erlach the Elder. The Treasury(Schatzkammer), up a few steps, has a wonderful collection of votive offerings dating from medieval times to the present, along with valuable items of ecclesiastical art.

A path leads uphill from the rear of the church to the Kalvarienberg (Mount Calvary) (3), passing Stations of the Cross and a display of mechanical nativity figurines.

Return to the Hauptplatz and follow Wiener Strasse for two blocks to the lower station of the Bürgeralpebahn Cable Car (4), which quickly lifts you up to the 4,150-foot-high *Bürgeralpe Plateau (5) for a bird's-eye view of the surrounding mountains and lakes. A sham-medieval observation tower, just up the path, allows you to climb above the tree line for an even better look. Several invigorating forest strolls following marked trails can be taken from here. In winter this becomes a popular ski area, especially favored by family groups. Cable car round-trip €€.

Back in town, continue down Wiener Strasse to the Heimatmuseum (Museum of Local History) (6), featuring rustic room settings and folk arts from times gone by. Tours: May-June, Wed. at 2:30, Fri. at 10; July-Sept., Mon., Tues, Thurs., Sat. at 10, Wed. at 2:30, Sun. at 10:30. €€.

The route on the map returns you to the train station in about 10 minutes. From there, you might want to make a side trip of about two miles to the Erlaufsee (7), a lovely lake surrounded by impressive mountains. While this makes an excellent walk, if you happen to come on a weekend or holiday from July through September you could ride there on the delightful *Museumstramweg instead. Running with open cars from the train station to the lake, this claims to be the world's oldest remaining steam tram and, along with the train ride from St. Pö1ten provides a memorable experience. W: erlebnisbahn.at. There is also bus service to the lake. Ask at the tourist office for current schedules for both.

Steeped in atmosphere and haunted by its past, King's Lynn is neither quaint nor picturesque. What makes it appealing, though, is the sharply medieval aura of its narrow streets and ancient buildings. Once an outpost of the Hanseatic League, its older sections are more reminiscent of northern Germany or the Low Countries than of England. Like so many great places, Lynn reveals itself slowly and with reluctance. Much of it is mundane. Yet, to stroll its quays and half-forgotten alleyways is to awaken memories of a world long vanished.

The River Great Ouse brought early prosperity to Lynn. Connecting the seaport with the rich hinterlands of England, the Ouse provided a watery route for commerce to follow. And follow it did. By the end of the 12th century, Lynn was the fifth-largest port in England and the center of trade with the frozen north. Then known as Bishop's Lynn, the town expanded rapidly during the 11th century and began its Hanseatic association in the 13th. When exports declined in the 14th century, the port turned to coastal shipping and fishing. Henry VIII knew a good thing and made the place his own in 1537, changing the name to King's Lynn. Prosperity continued through the 18th century, when the coming of the railways rendered the inland waterways and coastal shipping obsolete, making Lynn the backwater port and market town that it is today.

If time permits, or if you’re staying overnight, you might consider visiting nearby Castle Rising and Sandringham, a home of the Royal Family.

GETTING THERE:

Trains operated by First Capital Connect depart London's King's Cross Station hourly for the under-two-hour ride to King's Lynn, with returns until late evening.

By Car, follow the M11 to Cambridge and switch to the A10. King's Lynn is 103 miles north of London.

PRACTICALITIES:

This trip can be taken in any season. Colorful outdoor markets are held every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. The local Tourist Information Centre, T: (01553) 763-044, W: visitwestnorfolk.com, is in the Custom House (5) on Purfleet Quay. King's Lynn is in the county of Norfolk, and has a population of about 40,000.

FOOD AND DRINK:

You'll find pubs and restaurants all along the walking route, including:

Leave the train station (1) and follow the map to the Tuesday Market Place(photo, above) (2), an attractive open square where a colorful outdoor market is held each Tuesday. At its far end turn right on St. Nicholas Street and stroll over to St. Nicholas' Chapel, founded in 1145 to handle the overflow from St. Margaret's Church, which by the 12th century was already too small for the growing population. The present structure dates from 1419 but is now closed. Behind it is True’s Yard (3), all that’s left of an old fishing community that was largely demolished during a slum clearance in the 1930s. Two adjoining cottages have been lovingly restored to tell the story of the hard, dangerous life the Northenders lived in the 1850s and 1920s. A guide will take you around, and perhaps let you into the old St. Nicholas’ Chapel. T: (01553) 770-479,W: welcome.to/truesyard. Open daily, 9:30-3:45. £. Gift shop.

Return to the Market Place, noticing the fine old houses on its north side, and make a left. At the far corner of Water Lane is the Corn Exchange, an exuberant Victorian building of 1854, now converted into a theater.

The King’s Lynn Arts Centre (4) is a complex fronting on King Street. It occupies the former *Guildhall of St. George, the oldest and largest medieval merchants' guild building in England. Built around 1410, this may be the only building still standing in England in which Shakespeare probably performed in one of his own plays. Again used as a theater, it is the center of the annual King's Lynn Festival held in late July. T: (01553) 773-578, W: kingslynnarts.co.uk. Open to visitors Mon.-Fri. 10-4, Sat. 10-1 and 2-3:30; except when it's in use. Free. The adjoining structures, all beautifully restored, now house an art gallery and restaurant.

Turn right on Ferry Lane and walk out to the quay(photo, above, at low tide) for some good views of the old harbor. There is a tiny ferry from here to West Lynn.

King Street has hardly changed through the centuries. Wealthy merchants once lived in the homes along its west side, behind which stand ancient warehouses and private wharfs. Here and there, narrow alleyways lead to the river. The same pattern of residences and adjoining warehouses repeats itself on Queen Street and other streets parallel to the Ouse. At the corner of Purfleet Street, once a fleet, or creek, is located the most notable structure in Lynn, the *Custom House(photo, top of page) (5). Built in 1683 as a merchants' exchange, it was designed in the Palladian style by the town's mayor, Henry Bell, who was also an accomplished architect. The niche over its entrance contains a statue of Charles II. This elegant structure now houses the Tourist Information Centre.

Turn right into King Staithe Square. A staithe is a waterside depot equipped for loading boats. The Bank House on its south side has historic significance as it was from here that the explorer Samuel Cresswell successfully set out in 1850 to discover a northwest passage to India. Note the statue of Charles I above the doorway.

Turn left and follow South Quay. King Staithe Lane, to the left, is a delightful remnant of the past. Continue along the quay to the Green Quay Discovery Centre (6), a thoroughly up-to-date interactive celebration of The Wash and its environment, complete with an aquarium, videos, computers, telescopes, and more. T: (01553) 818-500, W: thegreenquay.co.uk. Open daily 9-5. Free.

Make a left into St. Margaret's Lane. The Hanseatic Warehouses (7), now restored and used as offices, were built in 1428 by the Hansa merchants as their local depot. Next door to them is Hampton Court, a great block of merchants' homes, countinghouses, warehouses, and apprentices' quarters, begun before 1200 but considerably altered later.

Turn right on Nelson Street, which has some very attractive old façades. Follow Bridge Street to All Saints' Street. Along the way you will pass the timber-framed Greenland Fishery of 1605. In the 18th century it became a pub frequented by whalers, hence its name. It is now used for offices. Making a left up Church Lane, stop at All Saints' Church (8), built in the 14th century over Norman foundations. The painted rood screen is about 600 years old. Continue through the churchyard to Tower Place and turn right down St. James' Street to the Greyfriars Tower (9). Dating from the 15th century, this is all that remains of the old Greyfriars monastery that was disbanded by Henry VIII.

Return to St. James' Street and turn left, then make another left on Church Street. A right on Priory Lane leads to the Priory Cottages. In the courtyard, reached through an archway, stand some magnificently preserved old houses, once part of a Benedictine priory established about 1100. Go around the corner and visit St. Margaret's Church(photo, left) (10), one of the few parish churches to have two towers. A mixture of styles ranging from Norman to Victorian, the huge church was founded about 1100 and is noted for its two great Flemish brasses, each nearly ten feet long. Don't miss the flood marks by the entrance; the latest, and highest, being dated 1978. They tell a lot about the hazards of living in Lynn.

Cross the Saturday Market Place to the 15th-century Guildhall of the Holy Trinity (11), incorporating parts of the present Town Hall and the Old Gaol. Inside this lurks a scary exhibition called Tales of the Old Gaol House, recalling stories of local witches, murderers, robbers, and highwaymen set in the original 18th- and 19th-century cells. The tour begins in King’s Lynn’s 1930s police station and ends as the culprits meet their doom. Included in the visit is an astonishing collection of regalia, including the famous so-called “King John Cup,” probably of 16th-century origin but having nothing to do with the tyrant who, however, did grant the royal charter of 1204. Among the borough archives is the Red Register of 1300, one of the oldest paper books in the world. T: (01553) 774-297. Open Easter through Oct., Mon.-Sat. 10-5; Nov. to Easter, Tues.-Sat. 10-4. ££.

Thoresby College, opposite the Guildhall on Queen Street, was built about 1500 and is now a youth hostel. Farther along, at number 46 Queen Street, you will come to the Town House Museum of Lynn Life (12). This superb attraction re-creates ordinary life in Lynn throughout the ages, with all manner of artifacts on display, including period room settings from the Middle Ages, the 17th century, the Victorian and Edwardian eras, both World Wars, and the 1950s. T: (01553) 773-450. Open May-Oct., Mon.-Sat. 10-5, Feb.-April, Mon.-Sat. 10-4. Closed Bank Holidays. Gift shop. £.

Turn right on Purfleet Street and follow the map through a modern shopping center to Market Street and the Lynn Museum (13). Four thousand years of West Norfolk life are brought to life here with active displays and re-created settings from prehistoric to Victorian times. T: (01553) 775-001. Open Tues.-Sat. 10-5. £.

From the nearby bus station you can get a ride to nearby Castle Rising or Sandringham before ambling back to the train station.

NEARBY SIGHTS:

Castle Rising(photo, right)(14), built in 1138, is one of the best Norman castles still standing in England. It can be reached by taking the bus marked for Hunstanton, which runs every half-hour. Ask the driver to let you off at the right place and be sure to inquire about the return schedule before leaving Lynn. The ride takes only 20 minutes. T: (01553) 631-330,W: castlerising.co.uk. Castle open April-Oct., daily 10-6; Nov.-March, Wed.-Sun. 10-4. ££, includes audio tour. Picnic area.

Sandringham (15), a home of the Royal Family, lies just beyond this on the same bus route. Purchased by Queen Victoria in 1862, its 600-acre spread of landscaped beauty was the favorite residence of George V. Besides the mansion, you can visit the extensive gardens, and the coach museum with its collection of royal cars from a 1900 Daimler to the half-scale Aston Martin used by princes William and Harry. T: (01553) 772-675, W: sandringhamestate.co.uk. Open mid-April-late July and Aug.-Oct., daily 11-4:45. Closed when the Royal Family is in residence, usually mid-July to early Aug. Ask at the tourist office. £££; less for just the grounds and museum. Gift shop. Restaurants. Those with cars should follow the A149 north in the direction of Hunstanton.

October 05, 2009

Here's a revised and updated one-day adventure taken from my guidebook Daytrips London. (And updated for 2011 in the brand new Daytrips From London guide).

Trip 18

Battle

A Daytrip from London

The Battle of Hastings was probably the most significant event in English history. It was fought on that fateful day in 1066, not at Hastings, but on a hill six miles inland where the attractive village of Battle now stands. Visitors may wander around the fields and, with the help of explanatory signs, re-create in their minds the conflict that signaled England's entry into European civilization. Also waiting to be explored are the ruins of the great abbey begun by William the Conqueror to commemorate the event.

The story of the Battle of Hastings is well documented by the famous Bayeux Tapestry, a replica of which is in the Battle Museum. Briefly, what happened is that the childless King Edward of England promised the throne to his cousin, Duke William of Normandy. He even sent Harold Godwinson, his brother-in-law, to France to confirm the pledge. Upon the death of King Edward, however, Harold took the crown himself. Feeling betrayed, William assembled a mighty army and invaded England. Meanwhile, Harold was successfully fighting off a third claimant to the throne, the King of Norway, at Stamford Bridge near York. On hearing of Duke William's invasion, he rushed his tired troops 200 miles south and engaged the Normans at Battle. The two armies were nearly matched in strength. Harold, occupying the higher ground, might have won except for a brilliant ruse on the part of William, who feigned defeat and trapped the English on the lower ground. By the end of that long, bloody day of October 14th, 1066, Harold lay dead and the sun set forever on Anglo-Saxon England.

It is possible to combine this daytrip with the one to Royal Tunbridge Wells.

GETTING THERE:

Trains to Battle depart London's Charing Cross station at half-hour intervals, with slightly reduced service on Sundays and holidays. The journey takes about 80 minutes, and return trains run until mid-evening.

By car, Battle is 57 miles southeast of London via the A21 and A210 roads.

PRACTICALITIES:

You can visit Battle at any time since the abbey and battlefield are open daily all year round. For further details, contact the Tourist Information Centre in the Abbey Gatehouse, T: (01424) 776-789, W: visit1066country.com. The annual Battle Festival, featuring a wide variety of events, is held from about mid-June to late June. Battle is in the county of East Sussex and has a population of about 6,000.

FOOD AND DRINK:

Battle has a good selection of restaurants and pubs, including:

Blacksmith's (43 High St., near The Almonry) English and Continental cuisine in a 16th-century building. T: (01424) 773-200. X: Mon. ££ and £££

Pilgrim's Rest (opposite the Abbey Gatehouse) Lunch in a 15th-century half-timbered house, or in the garden. T: (01424) 772-314. ££

1066 Inn(12 High St., just north of the Abbey Gatehouse) A friendly pub with home-cooked food. T: (01424) 773-224. £ and ££

Leaving the railway station (1), a Victorian Gothic structure dating from 1853, turn right and follow Lower Lake and Upper Lake to The Green. On your left you will pass the abbey wall and come to the Abbey Gatehouse (2) (photo, right), built in 1338 and one of the finest in England. It now houses the Tourist Information Centre. Pass through it into the:

Enter the grounds and follow the sign for the one-mile country walk around the *Battlefield (3). This easy trail is lovely, but watch out for sheep droppings and be sure to close any gates that you've opened. All along the way there are relief models explaining the progress of the battle.

The origins of the *Abbey (4) date from a vow made by William the Conqueror on the day of the battle to build a church on the site if God led him to victory. This promise was kept, with the high altar erected on the very spot where Harold fell. The abbey continued to grow until being disbanded by Henry VIII in 1539 and given to his Master of the Horse, who destroyed most of the buildings. Only one structure remains fully intact today, and that is used as an independent co-ed school and cannot be visited. Of the ruins, the most interesting is the Dorter, or monks' dormitory. Walk out on the nearby terrace for a good overall view of the battlefield.

Follow the map to the Almonry (5), now home to the Battle Museum. This 15th-century building houses models that explain how the battle was fought, along with a copy of the Bayeux Tapestry (partial image, left), a facsimile Domesday Book, coins, the oldest known effigy of Guy Fawkes, and other historical items. Open April-Oct., Mon.-Sat. 10:30-4:30. Adults £1, accompanied children free. T: (01424) 775-955.

Heading back to the train station takes you past Buckley's Yesterday's World (6), a commercial re-creation of the century from 1850 to 1950. Shops, homes, and even Queen Victoria herself come to life with push-button animations, complete with sound and smells. Open daily from 9:30–4, closed Dec. 25, 26, Jan. 1. Adults £7, seniors £6, children (4-15) £5. Café.T: (01424) 777-226,W: yesterdaysworld.co.uk.

A bit farther down the road stands St. Mary's Church (7) with its Norman nave, 14th-century wall paintings, and fine 15th-century tower. Open Easter-Sept., daily; rest of year Wed., Thurs., Fri. 10-noon.